Iwona Bartyzel and Léo Chenu, former Avans students, are in the running for the Rachel Carson Thesis Award. What is their secret to a great thesis? “Make sure to take time to rest.”
Former Environmental Science student Bartyzel doesn’t remember her exact grade, only that it was between an 8 and a 9. “It was part of a combined set of grades,” says the Polish student, who was nominated by her supervisor for the award for best environmental and sustainability research. “It came as a surprise. I felt honored. I wasn’t familiar with it, but when I read about it, I realized it was a major award.”
Fishing nets and oyster shells
Bartyzel wrote her thesis in Portugal during her graduation internship. Her research focused on finding ways to reuse discarded fishing nets and oyster shells. Currently, fishermen sometimes leave these materials behind in certain areas. Bartyzel looked for ways to turn these nets and shells into a material that is both strong and flexible, as these materials harm biodiversity when left in the water.
A nice bonus
Léo Chenu, who followed the same study program, does remember his grade: an 8.5. “I didn’t expect that. I worked hard on my thesis, but I am very critical of myself. This was a surprise,” says the former Avans student. He was also nominated by his teachers. “It felt like a very nice bonus.”
He conducted research into creating sustainable aviation fuel based on hemp. European aviation regulations mandate that twenty percent of total fuel must be sustainable by 2035 and seventy percent by 20250. However, raw materials for local production are scarce. Currently, countries import the fuel from Asia, which is not the most sustainable option. Chenu looked for ways to eventually convert hemp into fuel.
The winner of the prize receives a maximum of five hundred euros. Only students whose thesis was graded at least an 8 are eligible. In addition to the thesis, students must submit a recommendation letter from their supervisor including the motivation for the final grade. In the HBO (university of applied sciences) category, there are two nominees: both are from Avans.
The writing process
Bartyzel took five months to write her thesis. She started immediately at the beginning of her internship in Portugal. “I took a moment to orient myself but dove straight into the theory. You have half a year to write, which is a long time, but there’s a risk: you can always think you have plenty of time until you don’t. That’s why I started early,” she says.
Planning
According to Bartyzel, her process was very structured. Organizing information well and having a clear schedule were central. “I stuck to that planning. I pressured myself when necessary and worked on my thesis every day. That could be lab work or writing. For the last two months, I wrote every day. Consistency is key,” she says about the recipe for a successful thesis.
Finding a good place to write also helped her. “At my internship, I had my own spot where I could work alongside other students. Cafés were also nice, as were libraries. They are great for concentration,” she explains. “Working at home worked for me too, but only in the living room. Working in bed wasn’t for me.”
Chenu also made a solid plan, he says, which allowed him to finish well before the deadline. What helped him most was the fact that he was working on a topic he was passionate about. “That was helpful on bad days. I knew I was working on something that gave me energy,” he says. The French student chose his own topic instead of picking a suggestion provided by the university.
According to Bartyzel, it is valuable to go to sleep on time, eat well, and not spend every waking moment on the thesis. “Especially in the last few weeks—take time to rest and do things for yourself. Otherwise, you’ll burn out.”
Heatwave and back to france
Writing their thesis wasn’t always easy. A persistent heatwave with temperatures reaching forty degrees, combined with a lack of air conditioning, didn’t help Bartyzel. “During the writing, I went through different stages. Sometimes I was tired, sometimes proud when I finished something, then I felt I had to go faster. What kept me going during that period was truly the planning. I always knew what I had to do.”
Chenu faced setbacks as well. Due to issues in his personal life, he went back to France to continue working on his thesis in peace. “That period was stressful. Additionally, I sometimes forgot to save my documents properly, losing two days of work. I advise everyone to use the Avans cloud and enable autosave,” he says with a laugh.
Advice
Finally, Bartyzel advises students starting their thesis not to spend too long on research. According to her, it’s tempting to collect data endlessly, sometimes because a client expects it. “I had to set a limit. I discussed that with my supervisor, and I advise others to do the same,” she says.
Chenu’s tip for Avans students is to have your thesis proofread by fellow students. “Sometimes you are so deep into your subject that you assume everyone understands everything. Ask for constructive feedback early from people who aren’t experts in your specific topic but have a background in doing research. You don’t have to adopt all their feedback, but it helps the process.”
Chenu also notes it’s wise to check which forms of AI are permitted, as this can vary. “Keep the prompts you use. Sometimes it’s required, and it can help if you want to look things up again.”
Winning
The two will give a presentation on their work and will find out on May 22 if they have won. “That would be amazing; you’d have a chance to be published. That’s important in my future field. But being nominated is already an honor, and I really wish it for Léo too,” says Bartyzel. Chenu adds: “Winning would be great, but being able to present and network is already wonderful. And of course, I wish the best for Iwona as well.”
This piece was translated into English with the help of AI.
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